Summer Squash Skillet Exactly How Mama Likes It

5.0
(2)
2 Reviews

A squash skillet is a favorite way Southerners use up their bounty of summer squash.

By
Cameron Beall
Cameron Beall
Cameron Beall
Cameron Beall is a writer, marketer, photographer, and creative with over a year of experience with Southern Living in the realm of homes and home building. She was infatuated by home design from a young age, credit to her mother and grandmother. 
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Published on July 22, 2024
Recipe tested by
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Southern Living Test Kitchen
Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen

The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama.

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Southern Living Summer Squash Skillet in the skillet ready to serve
Photo:

Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Prissy Montiel
Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
4

I love a good cheesy and creamy squash casserole as much as the next person, but more often than not, I’m craving something that highlights the seasonal produce a bit more. With fewer ingredients and a little less dairy, this lightened-up take on a squash casserole is the dish I keep coming back to all summer long. It’s simple, easy, and comes together in just your cast-iron skillet.

It’s also a great way to use up all that farm-fresh squash and zucchini that is in abundance throughout the season. The Gruyère that’s folded into the veggies gives it the traditional casserole-creaminess, while the panko breadcrumbs and extra cheese sprinkled on top result in a nice crispy layer.

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil

  • 2 large (12 oz. each) zucchini, cut into 1/4-in.-thick slices (about 5 1/2 cups)

  • 1 large (12 oz.) yellow squash, cut into 1/4-in.-thick slices (about 2 1/2 cups)

  • 1 medium-size (8 oz.) yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

  • 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste 

  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

  • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

  • 7 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 3/4 cups), divided

  • 1/3 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs) 

  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400℉. Heat oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add zucchini, squash, onion, salt, and black pepper. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until squash mixture is mostly tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

  2. Remove from heat, and fold in crushed red pepper and 1 cup of the Gruyère. Stir together panko, lemon zest, and remaining 3/4 cup Gruyère in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over squash mixture. Bake in preheated oven until golden on top, about 18 minutes.

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